1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to an X-ray machine for imaging a female breast (mammography). In particular, the invention relates to a machine with which high-resolution X-ray exposures may be produced.
2. Description of Related Art
X-ray machines with an X-ray tube and a detector of large surface are known from prior art. For example, an X-ray machine is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,480,565, in which the size of the detector is dimensioned so that an entire breast can be imaged. In order to produce three-dimensional images, the X-ray tube and the detector are located on a rotatable gantry, which permits exposures to be made from different angular positions. Another X-ray machine, which is based on a spiral computer tomography (CT) scanner, is disclosed in U.S. Publication No. 2007/0064867. In this X-ray machine, exposures are made continuously during rotation of a gantry comprising an X-ray tube and a detector. However, a relatively large region of a wall of a breast cannot be imaged with the X-ray machine disclosed in the US publication.